Vincent McDermott Writes Stuff

The duty to consult with First Nations is an obligation dating back to the 19th century, when treaties between aboriginals and the Crown were signed.

Commissioners asserted that the indigenous peoples had “ceded forever” their vast land claims in exchange for reservations and government help.

But to this day, First Nations insist they signed an agreement of co-operation, not surrender, between two sovereign nations. What happens when the duty to consult has two different meanings to two different people?

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Published May, 2015/Alberta Oil Magazine